Welcome to the ReStory® Institute Level 2! Get to know the other members of this cohort, receive an overview of the path ahead, and begin the process of understanding how our wounds and losses shape our narrative identities.

Reviewing and refreshing our understanding of the 4 Pillars of the ReStory Approach, including Story, Withness, The Space Between Us, and ReStorying. We will also review the concepts of 1st and 2nd story, as well as the core postures of awareness, curiosity, and kindness.

In a direct assault against God’s image-bearing masterpiece, every human lives a "second story," a distorted narrative that arises from our wounds, losses, and survival mechanisms. This false story, shaped by others' expectations and life's subtle pressures, pulls us away from the original masterpiece God designed us to be. This week, students will be introduced to the the particularities of how the second story is written.

Every story is defined by its conflicts, and to truly understand our narratives, we must acknowledge the enemy’s assault against the goodness of God. The five primary wounds of abandonment, neglect, betrayal, consumption, and abuse serve as the weapons through which the enemy seeks to mar God's image in us, targeting those areas where we reflect His glory most profoundly.

Abandonment represents a profound loss of connection, as God initially created humanity for relationship and identified aloneness as “not good.” Following humanity's fall, the intimacy of “withness” was shattered, leaving individuals to grapple with profound isolation and hopelessness, which the enemy aims to exploit.

Neglect occurs when those responsible for care and support turn away from their obligations, often leading to significant harm and emotional decay, particularly for vulnerable children. This insidious weapon of the enemy creates a deficiency of necessary good, causing the neglected to suppress their own needs and learn to live without the attention and care they require. The deep wounds of neglect can persist throughout life, leaving individuals feeling unworthy and striving to survive amidst the chaos of unmet needs.

Betrayal is a profound wound rooted in relationships that were expected to provide trust and security. When those we rely on break that trust, it leads to deep emotional scars and a sense of disconnection from oneself and others. This fracture can distort our understanding of love and loyalty, making it challenging to navigate future relationships without the weight of past hurt.

Emotional consumption occurs when a parent relies on their child to fill their own emotional void, effectively grooming the child to prioritize the parent's needs over their own. This dynamic, often rooted in triangulation, can lead the child to adopt a caretaking role, sacrificing their own identity and well-being to maintain stability for the parent. As a result, the child may feel a sense of power and purpose in the relationship, but ultimately suffers from a loss of self, leading to profound emotional challenges in adulthood.

Abuse represents the most devastating weapon in the enemy's arsenal, intricately woven from the previous four weapons: abandonment, neglect, betrayal, and consumption, all heightened by the addition of violence. It manifests in three primary forms—psychological, physical, and sexual—each compounding the trauma inflicted on the victim and eroding their sense of self. The effects of abuse are far-reaching, leaving victims to navigate emotional, relational, and physical scars that can persist long into adulthood.

Trauma and loss deeply influence our personal narratives, making it crucial to understand the interplay of events, emotions, and interpretations in the healing process. Five key losses—connection, value, dignity, identity, and agency—stem from experiences of abandonment, neglect, betrayal, abuse, and consumption, resulting in false interpretations that distort our self-perception and relationships. To reclaim our true selves, we must acknowledge these losses, grieve their impact, and engage in the transformative work of reinterpreting our stories to align with our inherent worth.

The loss of connection is a pervasive issue that deeply affects individuals' mental health and sense of self-worth. When people experience isolation—whether through neglect, exclusion, or emotional abandonment—they often internalize feelings of unworthiness and loneliness, leading to long-lasting psychological consequences. This disconnection not only undermines the innate human desire for belonging but also impedes personal growth and healing.

The loss of value can leave deep scars on individuals, leading them to internalize feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. This diminishment often arises from emotional abuse or subtle negative comments, which can reshape a person's understanding of their intrinsic worth and lead to a false narrative that devalues their identity as a beloved child of God. Recognizing that each person carries God’s inherent value, along with the unique home and likeness bestowed upon them, is crucial for reclaiming one’s true worth and rejecting the enemy’s attempts to diminish it.

The loss of dignity profoundly shapes us, often leading us to view ourselves as less than human and unworthy of connection. This dehumanization can manifest through various forms of trauma, causing people to hide their faces and avoid acknowledging their inherent worth. However, by reclaiming our dignity and recognizing our value as bearers of God's image, we can begin to heal from past wounds and reclaim our God-given belovedness.

We lose their God-given identity by adopting personas to fulfill the expectations of others and receive the love we so desperately need. This tendency to exchange their true selves for socially accepted roles often results in a disconnection from their God-given identity, leaving them feeling lost and unrecognized. Ultimately, the journey of reclaiming one’s true identity involves recognizing the unique design God has imprinted on each person and understanding that genuine self-worth comes from reflecting His image.

The loss of agency often leads to a profound sense of powerlessness, leaving individuals trapped in circumstances that deny them the freedom to make choices and assert control over their lives. This relinquishing of control can create a deep internal struggle, as they grapple with feelings of helplessness and doubt, distancing them from the divine identity bestowed upon them by God.

Providing an introduction into the nature of how we survive our wounds and our losses, this section begins to explore how we run to false idols to cope with emotional wounds and unmet needs. It reveals that these idols, while offering temporary relief, ultimately lead to spiritual and emotional enslavement, distorting one's relationship with God and others. By contrasting the life-giving essence of God's commandments with the destructive patterns of idolatry, the text encourages readers to recognize and dismantle their own idols to achieve true freedom and restoration.

Ultimately, the issues of survival are covered in-depth in ReStory Institute Level 3, but the concepts are introduced here as part of the narrative identity formation.

We end our course with a time of vision, blessing, and hope for transformation and healing.